Page 24 of Trapped By Vengeance

I groan. “Do we really have to do this now?”

Crossing her arms, Valda leans a hip against another tree. “I’m sorry? Is my being your captive aninconvenienceto you?”

“As a matter of fact, yes.” I keep my back to her as I tug on a fresh pair of breeches over what remains of my previous pair. “I didn’t want to abduct you—”

“It just sort of happened?” Suddenly, her fingers on me, helping me ease out of the coat she considerately brought to the island for me.

Turning to her, I cross my arms now. “It wasn’t personal.”

“Right. Just vengeance. Against myvater.” Valda rolls her eyes.

It might be smart just to doggie paddle back to Trotzdem. “Valda, I’m sorry—”

Thunder crackles so loudly that I don’t even hear the rest of my sentence. The wind begins blowing more dramatically. Valda’s hair swirls around her form, making her look like an avenging ghost rising from the moors.

“What’s your plan?” Valda demands.

I grab my shirt just before the wind can carry it away. “Right now, it’s getting dressed.”

Valda’s gaze drops to my naked chest.

Quickly tugging my shirt on, I add, “AndthenI’m going to take shelter. We can make a long-term plan when the storm has passed.”

“You meanyoucan make the plan? I’m justthe abducted maiden.”

I pull on my coat before checking to ensure my leather pouch is still tucked within, heavy with what coins I have left to my name. Fat raindrops pelt me. “In the cave. Now.”

“Such a brutish kidnapper you are.” Valda rolls her eyes dramatically.

Gritting my teeth, I ignore her. “Eloise!”

“Coming!” Eloise hurries to the cave, trying to shield what she’s collected for dinner from the torrent pounding down on us. The pigeon holds one wing protectively over her head.

Great. Now I’m never going to be rid of it.

Once I see that Eloise is sequestered into the cave, safe and sound, I turn back to Valda. Ladies first, after all.

But Valda is no longer beside me. The roaring thunder disguised her escape.

A fork of lightning slices a palm tree just fifteen yards away. I feel the heat of it from here— smell it burning. And by the light of it, I see a flash of red running deeper into the jungle.

I growl a few words that are lost to the rumble of thunder. Then I stoop to face Eloise. “Remain here.”

Her eyes widen. “But you can’t—”

“Protect Sir Pigeon,” I order.

She clutches her pet bird and nods solemnly.

Then I run after the woman I regret abducting forsomany reasons.

I’m no stranger to the elements. My early childhood amongst a pack of werwölves saw me outside more often than not. And my career as a mercenary often saw me in less than comfortable situations.

But I’ve never been foolish enough to go running about in a storm like this before.

“Valda!” I yell, though I’m not sure if she can hear the way the wind rips words from my mouth and the thunder tries to drown it out. And the rain is trying to drownme. Honestly, it feels like I’m back swimming for my life in the ocean, except that then I could turn my head to find air. Now, there is no escape.

Valda’s red skirt remains several yards ahead of me, ducking dangerously around trees. Right now, my sight is the only sense I have to track her with, bleary as it is with all this rain. But I can’t smell anything but ocean, fire, and the wrath of the First Heaven. I can’t even hear myself speak past the thunder.

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